A first step in sample analysis typically involves collecting the sample. For example, a first step in a biological analysis such as RNA gene expression profiling or protein biomarker profiling is to collect a particular sample so that its biochemical constituents can be analyzed. After collection, the sample is typically stored, often in freezing conditions, before it is prepared for analysis. Often, to minimize perturbation of the biochemical profile of the sample, the tissue is flash-frozen (e.g., via direct immersion of the sample following procurement in liquid nitrogen) and stored at cryogenic temperatures (e.g., −80 degrees C. or lower), which inhibits degradative processes.
To prepare the sample for analysis, it is retrieved from storage and placed into a machine that fractures the sample into a plurality of smaller fragments to enable more accurate analysis. While fracturing, the samples are held in a special fracturing holder. Samples are typically stored in the same holder used for fracturing the sample. Using the same holder avoids complications associated with transferring a sample between two holders, such as contamination and failure to completely transfer the entire sample.